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Updated on
January 15, 2008,
C.B.
asks from
Sulphur Springs, TX
on
January 11, 2008

Car Seat in Auto Accident, Does Insurance Have to Replace?

My daughter and I were in an auto acccident a couple of weeks ago, and I was wondering if the insurance company is suppose to reimburse me for the new car seat I bought after the wreck, because I trashed hers? Also, my sone car seat was in there, but he was not, do they still have to replace his car seat? Anyone else been throught his?

More Answers

B.W.
answers from
Austin
on
January 13, 2008

When my family and I lived in CA, we were in an accident (not too serious) and yes, the insurance company reimbursed me for new car seats even though ours were not damaged. This insurance company (21st Insurance) was proactive about it so I'm not sure if it's a law by state or up to the insurance companies. Good luck.

you should call your insurance company to confirm but i was in 2 car accidents 6 months apart from each other. i have state farm and they told me it is the law. i had to furnish the receipt to them for reimbursement but they told me to take my daughters car seats to the local police station as they do studies about how the car seats held up durning the accident. You just have to supply them with the accident info..The 2nd car accident i was at a stop and was hit by another driver going less than 5 mph and i still had to replace her car seat. I hope that helps

Yes, I have...twice (hit from behind both times within 6 months!) and yes, the insurance company should re-imburse you. But you'll have to ask (or more honestly, TELL them)them to do it. I've never seen an insurance adjuster OFFER to pay anything! And, yes replace BOTH car seats. Even though the other wasn't being used at the time, it still could have been damaged in the impact.

What kind of car seat was it? Because I think I read when I bought our Britax that they would replace it if you were in an accident the first year. You might want to check with your car seat company and yes I think your insurance company will pay for a new seat for both children.

YES! Once a car seat has been in an accident it is not safe to use. I was rear ended twice and both times insurance replaced all car seats in the vehicle. They should also pay to have the seat belts in the car tested.

They should but sometimes do not. If your son was not in the seat, they may not really want to but you never know. Read up on your warranty, some companies say the warranty is void if the seat was in an accident. The only thing is that if you "trashed" your seat, the insurance company will have no "salvage" to show for thier reimbursement. There are ways around that though. They can code an injury settlement check to get you the money so there are ways around it and they should reimburse you. If you still have your seat, the insurance company will want it. When a car seat has been in an accident, the insurance company (or the one I worked for did) will take the seat and cut all of the straps off so it is not used by someone else that randomly finds it in a dumpster or something.